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Program details
PhD in Nursing courses incorporate in-person course delivery with simultaneous virtual delivery to Canadian students who live off-site. Canadian students who live off-site are required to attend the graduate nursing students orientation in August and the annual Helen Glass Research Symposium.
Expected duration: 4 to 6 years
Tuition and fees: Two years tuition, then continuing fees in subsequent years (refer to Graduate tuition and fees)
Students graduating from the PhD program in Nursing will:
- develop knowledge in their identified substantive area within nursing science
- generate and apply new knowledge concerning human health conditions and systems for care, with a specific focus on application within nursing, nursing’s roles, and influence on individual, family, community and population health outcomes
- contribute to nurses’ influence within health care, health systems and health services
- enhance their skills to critique, communicate, disseminate, and integrate diverse perspectives of knowledge amongst interdisciplinary partners, programs and policies in the provinces and beyond
- emerge as nursing leaders related to clinical practice, education, research and evaluation, administration, government and policy development
- build on programs of research within the College of Nursing, thereby extending knowledge and translation of evidence within the profession of nursing, addressing the imperative for evidence informed practice, education, leadership and policy.
Sample course offerings
- NURS 8002 - Advanced Philosophy of Nursing Science (3 credit hours)
- NURS 8010 - Advanced Qualitative Research for Nursing (3 credit hours)
- NURS 8020 - Advanced Knowledge Translation and Health Care Policy (3 credit hours)
- NURS 8220* - Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (3 credit hours)
- NURS 8030 - Doctoral Student Seminars 1 (0 credit hours)
- NURS 8040 - Doctoral Student Seminars 2 (0 credit hours)
*NURS 8220 has a pre- or co- requisite course: CHSC 7810 Biostatistics for Health and Human Sciences or equivalent.
For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.
Advisors
You must have an advisor willing to accept you as a student to pursue a PhD in nursing. Please see our current list of advisors accepting students.
International applicants are not required to secure a faculty advisor prior to submitting their application. After the application is reviewed, international applicants will be contacted with a list of potential faculty advisors.
If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree under the mentorship of a faculty researcher not listed, you are welcome to contact that faculty member directly to inquire about potential graduate positions.
Please review the researcher’s profile prior to contacting them, to ensure your research interest aligns with theirs. When you decide to contact a faculty member regarding a graduate position, please send them the following:
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- All academic transcripts from previous post-secondary institutions as well as the University of Manitoba (as applicable)
- Descriptions of any previous research or teaching-related experience.
If you have contacted potential advisors and after several inquiries have not received a response, please consider this an indication that they will not be pursuing further conversation.
Applicants can also contact the Graduate Program Student Advisor at nursing@umanitoba.ca for more information about advisors.
The student-advisor relationship
In collaboration, the student and faculty advisor will discuss the student’s learning needs to determine the fit between advisor and student. The advisor will work with the student to devise a plan for their course of studies. Generally, the advisor will be the student’s thesis/committee chair or comprehensive examination chair. Students must meet, at a minimum, annually with their advisor. Any changes to program plan must be approved by the advisor.
The student-advisor relationship is important in assisting the student to navigate the university system. Students are responsible for initiating and maintaining regular communication with their advisor.
Students are also responsible for understanding and knowing the Faculty of Graduate Studies policies and regulations, as well as the Supplemental Regulations, which provide the guidelines for graduate study.
Admission requirements
To qualify for admission to the PhD in Nursing program, you must have a minimum of:
- A master’s degree, preferably in nursing. Other qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Completion of these three courses (9 credit hours) or equivalent:
- NURS 7320: Philosophy of Nursing Science
- NURS 7210: Qualitative Research Methods
- NURS 7220: Quantitative Research Methods
Exceptional Master of Nursing (MN) students from the University of Manitoba who wish to apply to the PhD program before completing the MN program must have completed the above three courses as well as NURS 7340: Evidence Informed Practice (for a total of 12 credit hours).
Applicants who do not possess a research-based Master’s degree, but who have research experience in primary data collection and analysis in health or healthcare services research will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Students admitted to the doctoral program at the University of Manitoba, College of Nursing, without a research-based Master’s degree or without a pre-requisite course or courses will be required to complete the pre-requisite course(s) in the first two years of their program in addition to courses required for the PhD program.
Students in the PhD in Nursing program will receive approval for admission based on their prior academic and professional performance, research focus, demonstrated leadership and clear readiness to engage in the program. There is an expectation that the students are sufficiently self-directed to pace themselves within the course requirements and time-to-completion policies.
In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
International applicants are not required to secure a faculty advisor prior to submitting their application. After the application is reviewed, international applicants will be contacted with a list of potential faculty advisors.
All applications are reviewed in the College of Nursing but final approval rests with the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Program admission is on a competitive basis and submission of the above requirements in no way guarantees program acceptance.
How to apply
Applications for the Nursing PhD program are accepted for September entry only. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:
- $100 application fee (non-refundable)
- Unofficial copies of transcripts
- Current CV
- Statement of interest (approximately 500 words) including
- a short biographical sketch
- reason for pursuing the doctoral program at the University of Manitoba, College of Nursing
- area of substantive interest
- prior work in area of interest
- rationale for selection of the faculty advisor
- readiness for doctoral study at this time
- Two writing samples (e.g., scholarly work or publication in which you are the principal author, summary of master’s work, documents written for professional work, such as briefs, advisories, guidelines, protocols or policy)
- Three letters of recommendation, preferably at least one of which is an academic reference (must be requested from within the application)
- Proof of English language proficiency, if required.
- Written confirmation from the faculty member who has agreed to function as the advisor for the potential doctoral student. Review Find an advisor for guidelines and the list of faculty who are accepting graduate students.
Applicants must be prepared to submit documentation as outlined in the College's Non-Academic Admission Requirements by July 15.
If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree under the mentorship of a faculty researcher not listed, you are welcome to contact that faculty member directly to inquire about potential graduate positions.
Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies application instructions before beginning your application.
Application deadlines
Learn more
Contact us
Admission and application inquiries
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Room 500 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
graduate.admissions@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-9377
Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Program inquiries
College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
Helen Glass Centre for Nursing
89 Curry Place
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
nursing@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-7452
Toll Free: 1-800-432-1960 ext 7452 (North America)
Fax: 204-474-7682